City
Epaper

Amit Shah's Kashmir approach: No velvet glove over iron fist

By IANS | Updated: June 28, 2019 19:40 IST

The two-day maiden visit of Amit Shah to Kashmir after he took over as the country's home minister had one clear message for the separatists: he does not believe in wearing a velvet glove over an iron fist.

Open in App

Amit Shah is the first home minister who did not drop even a faint hint of any meeting ground with the separatists.

For the new Union Home Minister the drawing lines on the chessboard are clear those supporting separatism cannot expect any wooing or concession from Amit Shah.

While he said the fight against terrorists and terrorism will continue unabated, what was probably missed in his statement was the line that said: "Those inimical to peace and normalcy will be dealt with firmly". It ceases to be a matter of interpretation what the home minister meant by forces inimical to peace and normalcy.

It would be naive to believe that the first visit of Amit Shah to J&K was simply to oversee the security arrangements made for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra.

If that had been the basic objective of his visit to the state, then a video conference from the south block with all the stakeholders in the peaceful conduct of the Yatra should have been a better and more effective way of reviewing the Yatra security.

The two-day visit, according to sources close to Shah, has been to deliver a firm and unequivocal message that "if anyone in the separatist camp is waiting to be invited for talks like New Delhi did in the past, he is barking up the wrong tree.

"The fact that Shah took three top level security meetings in New Delhi immediately after taking over as the Union Home Minister and all these pertained to dealing with the overall security in J&K, proves one that he means business and that business is definitely not going to be based on any give and take", said sources close to him.

How firmly he wants to handle Kashmir is also clear from the fact that he is the first Union Home Minister to visit the state during the last 30 years who did not meet even a single mainstream political leader, not even those from his own party.

Insiders told that Shah's meeting with the state BJP leaders in Srinagar remained confined to distribution of compensation among the next of kin of the BJP workers killed by militants in the state.

"Not a word on how the politics of the state should be run even with the state BJP leaders", said a source privy to Shah's meeting with state BJP leaders.

Amit Shah has the future course on Kashmir already drawn and charted. How it unfolds will become clear in the coming months now that the President's rule in the state is being extended by another six months.

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: Amit ShahbjpUnion Home MinisterYatraNew Delhi
Open in App

Related Stories

MumbaiMumbai: BJP Leader Prasad Lad’s Letterhead and AI Voice Forged to Secure Rs 3.60 Crore; Yuva Morcha Leader Booked

MaharashtraLadki Bahin Yojana: Rs 4,800 Crore Scam Exposed, Supriya Sule Drops Bombshell — How Did Men Receive Benefits?

NashikSunil Bagul, Mama Rajwade Join BJP in Nashik Ahead of Municipal Elections 2025

Maharashtra‘Lawbreakers’: Kunal Kamra Mocks Maharashtra Assembly Brawl With Satirical Video

MumbaiMumbai: NCP-SCP MLA Jitendra Awhad Booked for Obstructing Police During Protest at Maharashtra Assembly Premises

National Realted Stories

NationalMamata Banerjee to virtually brief party MPs on Trinamool's floor strategy in Parliament

NationalITR Filing 2025: Key rules, deductions when choosing between new and old tax regimes

National172 hydrocarbon discoveries in 10 years, 62 offshore, as Modi govt opens ‘No-Go’ Zones: Hardeep Puri

NationalTejashwi voter ID row: BJP slams RJD, Congress for targeting ECI with 'false' narrative

NationalShiv Sena(UBT) should exit MVA, INDIA bloc if committed to Hindutva: Manisha Kayande